Governor Scott Signs 46 Bills Into Law Today

SB 50 Public Meetings – This bill amends the Sunshine Law to give the public a reasonable opportunity to speak at meetings while allowing certain exemptions.

SB 112 Filing False Documents Against Real or Personal Property – This bill creates penalties for filing a fraudulent lien against another person’s property and provides protections for victims of a fraudulent lien.

HB 203 Agricultural Lands – This bill prohibits governmental entities from regulating or charging a fee against agricultural activity on farm land where the activity is already regulated by certain state or federal agencies.

HB 229 Land Trusts – This bill codifies various provisions regarding land trusts.

SB 244 Water Management Districts – This bill requires water management districts to be more comprehensive and to consider impacts to adjacent districts when submitting annual disclosures to the Department of Environmental Protection.

HB 267 Real Property Liens & Conveyances – This bill removes the requirement that a warranty deed include a blank space for the grantee’s social security number, and also requires governmental entities to record liens in the official county records.

SB 298 Department of Citrus – This bill corrects unintended changes made to statutes regarding the Department of Citrus during the 2012 Legislative Session and applies amendments retroactively.

SB 326 Powers and Duties of the Department of Environmental Protection – This bill makes the sale and exchange procedures for Cross Florida Greenway surplus lands consistent with other current Board of Trustees procedures.

HB 691 Personal Identification Theft – This bill makes it unlawful for a person to intentionally or knowingly possess, without authorization, the personal identification information of another person.

HB 731 Pub. Rec./Spouses and Children of Law Enforcement Agency Personnel – This bill exempts the names of children and spouses of active or former sworn or civilian law enforcement personnel and other specified personnel from public record disclosure.

SB 736 Limitations Relating to Deeds and Wills – This bill extends provisions relating to deeds and wills to other documents and instruments associated with the transfer of title to real property.

HB 833 General Assignments – This bill makes several procedural changes to current law relating to assignments for the benefit of creditors.

SB 954 Technological Research and Development Authority – This bill abolishes the Technological Research and Development Authority, a special district located in Brevard County.

HB 977 St. Lucie County Mosquito Control District, St. Lucie County –This bill amends the legal boundary description of the St. Lucie Mosquito Control District.

HB 979 Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District, St. Lucie County –This bill consolidates all special acts and judicial decrees relating to the Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District in order to create a unified charter and extends the corporate lifetime of the District through 2111.

HB 981 North St. Lucie River Water Control District, St. Lucie County –This bill consolidates all special acts and judicial decrees relating to the North St. Lucie River Water Control District in order to create a unified charter and extends the corporate lifetime of the District through 2111.

HB 1007 Lee County Tourist Development Council, Lee County – This bill allows board members of the Lee County Tourist Development Council representing municipalities to be appointed based on tourist development tax collection amounts rather than population.

HB 1013 Technological Research & Development Authority, Brevard County – This bill deletes statutory references to the Technological Research and Development Authority.

HB 1027 Broward County Education, Research, and Training Authority, Broward County – This bill repeals the special act that created the Broward Educational, Research and Training Authority, an inactive special district.

HB 1069 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, Escambia County – This bill revises the frequency of required management efficiency audits of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority from every three years to every five years.

HB 1075 Public Records – This bill provides a public records exemption for materials related to the investigation of a public employee until the agency concludes the investigation

HB 1171 St. Lucie and Martin Counties – This bill revises provisions related to the temporary tax and assessment distribution from Martin County to St. Lucie County.

HB 1271 Central County Water Control District, Hendry County – This bill amends the legal boundary description of the Central County Water Control District to include the Woodland Subdivision.

HB 1283 Nassau County – This bill amends the criteria for the issuance of special alcoholic beverage licenses to certain restaurants within Nassau County.

HB 1285 Tallahassee – Leon County Civic Center Authority, Leon County – This bill abolishes the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center Authority and transfers all remaining assets and liabilities to Florida State University.

HB 1287 Tohopekaliga Water Authority, Osceola County –This bill allows board members of the Tohopekaliga Water Authority to serve three consecutive, three year terms, not including any initial term.

HB 1355 Purchase of Firearms by Mentally Ill Persons– This bill provides additional protections for the general public regarding firearms purchases. To view the signing letter, click HERE.

HB 1367 Tampa Port Authority, Hillsborough County –This bill removes the current requirement that the Tampa Port Authority vote to approve any expenditure over $15,000 by the port director.

SB 1388 Instructional Materials for K-12 Public Education – This bill allows district school boards to implement a program for acquisition of instructional material pending district approval.

HB 1421 Madison County – This bill provides an exception to general law for the issuance of special alcoholic beverage licenses to certain motels and hotels within Madison County.

SB 1700 Agricultural Lands – This bill repeals s. 604.006, F.S., which required that the Department of Economic Opportunity map and monitor the state’s agricultural land base, an obsolete program that was not implemented.

HB 4037 Broward County/Saltwater Fishing – This bill repeals an obsolete special act from 1927, which established a minimum size for mullet caught in Broward County, Florida.

HB 4039 Broward County/Fishing –This bill repeals an obsolete special act from 1921 that regulates fishing in Broward County, Florida.

HB 4053 City of Pensacola, Escambia County –This bill repeals the now-obsolete Civil Service System for employees of the City of Pensacola.

HB 7023 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services –This bill represents efforts to streamline the department, and includes modifications to the regulatory framework and consumer activities within the Department’s jurisdiction.

HB 7087 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – This bill modifies various programs and activities relating to the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. To view the signing letter, click HERE.

HB 7165 Early Learning – This bill makes governance changes and increases accountability and transparency in the administration of Florida’s early learning programs. This bill establishes the Office of Early Learning within the Department of Education’s Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice.

To view the transmittal letter for all House Bills filed today click HERE.

To view the transmittal letter for all Senate Bills filed today click HERE.